Paint can supporting attachment for ladders



F. A. THOMS Sept. 10, 1963 PAINT CAN SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS F iled Aprii 12, 1962 FIG. 3

S 2% 3 m%% W T N Z W, WR 4 m w i L T L w A A b QM 0 m United States Patent O Filed Apr. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 186,972 2 Claims. c1. 248--238) This invention relates generally to supporting devices which serve as means for supporting a bucket, pail, paint pot or other similar article, and more particularly it relates to a paint can supporting attachment for ladders which includes a novel anchoring bracket.

While devices of the general character described herein have previously been known, the present invention comprehends a paint can supporting attachment for ladders which constitutes an improvement thereupon, both as to efiiciency derived from the structural dilferences and the simplicity of its construction, as well as the economy with which it may be produced.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a paint can supporting attachment for ladders which may be easily and securely but removably attached to a ladder at a pre-selected height in a manner so as to engage one of the side rails of the ladder and also engage one of the rungs thereof while maintaining the pan portion of the supporting attachment disposed at one side of the ladder so as to not interfere or provide an incumbrance to movement up and down the ladder.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a paint can supporting attachment for ladders which is adapted for attachment to either the right or left side rail of the ladder, and which also includes anchoring means for preventing'the attachment from being accidentally displaced.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a paint can supporting attachment [for ladders which includes a knife edge formed on a portion thereof adapted to engage the outer side surface of the ladder side rail so as to add additional stability to the supporting attach, men-t.

Other objects of this invention reside in the provision of a paint can supportingattachment for ladders which may be attached to a ladder with a minimum expenditure of time and labor and without the use of other tools and equipment, and which provides satisfactory performance of its objects and purposes.

The above and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts or elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of this invention and showing the same attached to a ladder;

FIG. 2 is a view in top plan thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation as seen generally from left to right of FIG. 1, and illustrating by full and broken lines different angular positions of the ladder, and also showing that the supporting attachment may be generally horizontally positioned without regard to the angular position of the ladder;

FIG. 4 is a view insection taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, and showing by full lines the initial step in removal of the attachment from the ladder and by dotted lines another step in the removal thereof; and

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

With continuing reference to the drawings, a portion of a ladder is shown therein, the same being represented by the reference numeral 1. The ladder 1 comprises a pair of spaced generally parallel side rails 2 and a plurality 1'5 and a rear part 16.

of spaced generally parallel rungs 3 extending between the side rails 2,. The paint can supporting attachment according to this invention is represented generally by the reference numeral 4, the same comprising a basket or pan 5 having a bottom wall 6 and an upturned annular side wall 7. The basket or pan 5 is usually referred to herein as a shallow pan, although the same may obviously take several for-ms and dimensions. The shallow pan 5 further comprises an annular band 8 secured to the outer side surface of the pan side wall 7. The particular configuration of the shallow pan 5 is not a particular feature of this invention, and it should be understood'that the pan 5 may be constructed in accordance with economy of manufacture and strength of the product.

The paint can supporting attachment 4 further comprises an anchoring bracket, represented generally by the reference numeral 9. The anchoring bracket 9 is rigidly secured to the shallow pan 5 and projects generally laterally outwardly therefrom, as shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the anchoring bracket 9 is so arranged and adapted for removable attachment to the ladder 1 so as to dispose the shallow pan 5 in a generally horizontal position at the side of the ladder 1. The anchoring bracket 9 may be formed from a length of bar stock, such as a metallic rod or strap material, which is so bent and formed in the manner shown and described herein.

The anchoring bracket 9 comprises a generally angleshaped connecting portion 10 one end 11 of which is rigidly secured, as by welding, to the outer side surface of the annular band 8 of the shallow pan 5 and projects in a generally radially extending direction with respect thereto. As shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3, the other end of the angle-shaped connecting portion 10 projects generally outwardly and upwardly from the pan 5. The angle-shaped connecting portion 10 defines a generally vertically extending arcuate knife edge 12 disposed for piercing engagement with the outer side surface of the ladder side rail 2, as shown particularly in FIG. 5, and as will be more particularly described hereinafter. The anchoring bracket 9 further comprises a generally U-shaped intermediate portion 13, shown particularly in FIG. 2, having a side part 14 rigidly connected to the connecting portion 10, another side part It is noted that the U-shaped intermediate portion 13 lies in a plane which is generally normal to the plane of the connecting portion 10 and which also forms an acute angle with the plane of the bottom wall 6 of the shallow pan 5. As shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate portion 13 of the anchoring bracket 9 is adapted to partially encompass one of the side rails 2 of the ladder 1.

The anchoring bracket 9 further includes a depending hook portion 17 rigidly secured to the side part 15 of the U-shaped intermediate portion 13 and adapted to engage one of the rungs 3 of the ladder 1. As shown particularly in FIG. 4, the depending hook portion 17 comprises a generally vertical part 18 secured to the side part 15 of the intermediate portion 13 and a lateral part 19 which projects outwardly from the vertical part 15 in spaced but general parallelism with the side part 15 of the intermediate portion 13.

A particular feature of this novel paint can supporting attachment is shown particularly in FIG. 3, wherein the ladder 1 is shown in various angular positions with respect to the vertical, and wherein it is noted that the supporting attachment 4 may be adjusted for disposition with respect to the ladder 1 so that the pan 5 of the attachrnent 4 will be horizontal without regard to the angular position of the ladder 1. Another feature of this invention is that the supporting attachment 4 may be attached to either of the side rails 2 of the ladder, and when the same is attached to the left side rail, as shown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the intermediate portion 13 of the anchoring bracket 9 is placed into position from the rear of the ladder 1, Whereas when the anchoring bracket 4 is to be attached to the right side rail 2 of the ladder 1, the intermediate portion 13 of the anchoring bracket 9 is moved into position from the 'front of the ladder 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates the movement of the supporting attachment 4 necessary to attach or remove the supporting attachment 4 from the ladder 1. Initially, the supporting attachment 4 is positioned relative to the side rail 2 so that the U-shaped intermediate portion 13 of the anchoring bracket 9 encompasses the side rail 2, which is the position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 4. Then, the supporting attachment 4 is swung or tilted downwardly and then rearwardly to the position shown by full lines in FIG. 4 wherein the depending hook portion 17 partially encompasses the ladder rung 3. Then, the supporting attachment 4 is tilted downwardly to the position shown in FIG. 1 wherein the plane of the pan 5 is generally parallel with the ladder rung 3 and wherein the knife edge 12 of the connecting portion is pierced slightly into the side rail 2 of the ladder, as shown particularly in FIG. 5. Of course, the supporting attachment 4 is further adjusted with respect to the angular position of the ladder so that the pan 5 will be generally horizontal, this being illustrated in FIG. 3. When it is desired to remove the supporting attachment 4- from the ladder 1, it will be understood that the order of the above described steps will of course be reversed.

This invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while I have shown and described above a preferred embodiment thereof in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated, I wish to be specifically understood that the same may be modified without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

21. A paint can supporting attachment for ladders of the type having spaced side rails and a plurality of spaced rungs extending between the side rails, said supporting attachment comprising:

(a) a pan, and

(b) an anchoring bracket rigidly secured to said pan and projecting generally laterally outwardly therefrom, said anchoring bracket being adapted for removable attachment to the ladder so as to dispose said pan in a generally horizontal position at the side of the ladder, said anchoring bracket comprismg:

(1) a generally angle-shaped connecting portion one end of which is secured to said pan and the other end of which projects generally outwardly and upwardly from said pan,

(2) said angle-shaped connecting portion defining a generally vertically extending knife edge disposed for engagement with the outer side surface of the side rail of a ladder,

(3) a generally horizontally disposed generally U-shaped intermediate portion one side of which is rigidly secured to said angle-shaped connecting portion, said U-shaped intermediate portion being adapted to partially encompass one of the side rails of a ladder, and

(4) .a depending hook portion rigidly secured to the outer side of said U-sh-aped intermediate portion and adapted to engage a rung of the ladder.

2. A paint can supporting attachment for ladders of the type having spaced side rails and a plurality of spaced rungs extending between 'the side rails, said supporting attachment comprising:

(a) a pan, and

(b) an anchoring bracket rigidly secured to said pan and projecting generally laterally outwardly therefrom, said anchoring bracket being adapted for removable attachment to the ladder so as to dispose said pan in a generally horizontal position at the side of the ladder, said anchoring bracket being formed from a length of bar stock bent and arranged as to comprise:

'(l) a generally angle-shaped connecting portion one end of which is secured to said pan and the other end of which projects generally outwardly and upwardly from said pan,

(2) said angle-shaped connecting portion defining a generally vertically extending knife edge disposed for engagement with the outer side surface'of the ladder side rail, 7

(3) a generally U-shaped intermediate portion one side of which is rigidly secured to said angleshaped connecting portion, said U-shaped intermediate portion lying in a plane which forms an acute angle with theplane of said pan, said U- shaped intermediate portion being adapted to partially encompass one of the side rails of a ladder, and

(4) a depending hook portion rigidly secured to the other side of said U-shaped intermediate portion and adapted to engage a rung of the ladders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,443 Pelletier July 14, 1953 2,837,306 Elm June 3, 1958 2,895,700 Johnson July 21, 1959 3,013,759 Close Dec. 19, 196-1 

1. A PAINT CAN SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS OF THE TYPE HAVING SPACED SIDE RAILS AND A PLURALITY OF SPACED RUNGS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE SIDE RAILS, SAID SUPPORTING ATTACHMENT COMPRISING: (A) A PAN, AND (B) AN ANCHORING BRACKET RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID PAN AND PROJECTING GENERALLY LATERALLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID ANCHORING BRACKET BEING ADAPTED FOR REMOVABLE ATTACHMENT TO THE LADDER SO AS TO DISPOSE SAID PAN IN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION AT THE SIDE OF THE LADDER, SAID ANCHORING BRACKET COMPRISING: (1) A GENERALLY ANGLE-SHAPED CONNECTING PORTION ONE END OF WHICH IS SECURED TO SAID PAN AND THE OTHER END OF WHICH PROJECTS GENERALLY OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY FROM SAID PAN, (2) SAID ANGLE-SHAPED CONNECTING PORTION DEFINING A GENERALLY VERTICALLY EXTENDING KNIFE EDGE DIS- 